A new element of Horizon Europe compared to Horizon 2020 is certainly represented by the Missions.
The concept of Missions was introduced for the first time in the European political debate by the Lamy Report (July 2017), followed by the appointment of an external expert – Professor Marianna Mazzucato – charged with giving opinions to the Commission on the approach oriented towards the mission. In the report presented (February 2018), entitled “Mission-Oriented Research & Innovation in the European Union – A problem-solving approach to fuel innovation-led growth“, five fundamental criteria were recommended for the selection of missions at Union level:
- Bold, inspirational with wide societal relevance
- A clear direction: targeted, measurable and time-bound
- Ambitious but realistic research and innovation actions
- Cross-disciplinary, cross-sectoral and cross-actor innovation
- Multiple, bottom-up solutions
According to Mazzucato, European missions should be characterized by bold and ambitious goals and aim at solving problems relevant to the daily life of community citizenship, thus contributing to the interest of the ordinary citizen around European research.
These characteristics are taken from the proposal of the European Commission (June 2018), where it is stated that the missions must:
- have a clear European added value and contribute to achieving the Union’s priorities;
- be bold and stimulating and therefore have great social or economic relevance;
- indicate a clear direction and be targeted, measurable and circumscribed over time;
- be focused on ambitious but realistic research and innovation activities;
- to stimulate activity in all disciplines, in all sectors and by all actors;
- be open to multiple “bottom-up” solutions.
According to the Commission, missions must pursue ambitious but achievable and circumscribed objectives, address citizens and, where appropriate, encourage their participation. During the event “Towards Horizon Europe: Missions – What expectations” held in Ferrara on 12 March, dr. Renzo Tomellini, Head of Unit of DG RTD, European Commission, in his presentation also defined a mission as “a portfolio of actions aimed at achieving a bold and stimulating goal, as well as measurable, whose impact is relevant to science and technology, society and citizens could not be achieved through individual actions “. Parallel to the normal Horizon Europe calls for tenders, a limited series of high visibility missions will be introduced, which will be defined in the context of a strategic planning process: according to the Commission proposal, the missions should in fact be decided and co-designed in collaboration between Commission services, Member States, European Parliament and stakeholders.
Compared to the proposal of the European Commission, the consolidated legislative text of Horizon Europe arising from the interim agreement reached on March 20, 2019 between the Council, Parliament and Commission for the first time defines the five areas on which future Missions should be concentrated:
- Adaptation to Climate Change, including Societal Transformation
- Cancer
- Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters
- Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities
- Soil Health and Food
Furthermore, the text defines even better the criteria for selecting them and confirms the importance of the strategic planning process. Finally, for the first three years of the program a maximum of 10% of the Horizon Europe Pillar 2 budget is assigned to the Missions, postponing to the evaluation of the results achieved a possible increase in the assigned budget.